High speed cornering of an off-road vehicle poses considerable challenges to the development of an autonomous vehicle due to the non-linear dynamics of the tyre road interface as well as those of the vehicle as a whole during high lateral accelerations. Most driver models are developed for low speed applications using linear control methods under the assumption of linear vehicle dy- namics. The dynamics of a vehicle however become highly non-linear as the lateral acceleration increases, thus rendering these linear models unusable during high speed manoeuvres. In this study, two robust driver models for use in an autonomous vehicle capable of path following at both low and high speeds are presented. Both models make use of the relationship between the yaw acceleration and steering rate to control the yaw angle of the vehicle. The first driver model is derived from the simulation of a full non-linear vehicle model in ADAMS. The Magic Tyre Formula is used to model the relationship between the vehicle's yaw acceleration and steer rate as a function of vehicle speed. The second driver model is a mathematical model which incorporates a form of sliding control. The model includes the lateral tyre dynamics as modelled by the Pacejka '89 tyre model. Both driver models are coupled with a gain scheduling proportional derivative controller to reduce the cross-track error. The two driver models were implemented on a Land Rover Defender and experimentally validated by performing a double lane change manoeuvre at speeds up to 80km/h. The vehicle remained stable even though the lateral accelerations experienced were 80% of the vehicle limits. The result is a robust controller capable of path following at various speeds and at high lateral accelerations. Copyright / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / Unrestricted

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, November, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 54-58).

This thesis investigates the use of an active anti-roll bar as a means of improving the handling of an off-road vehicle. The active anti-roll bar consists of a stiff anti-roll bar and a hydraulic actuator at the one end between the anti-roll bar and the rear axle of the vehicle. The system is designed so that the anti-roll bar can be preloaded in both directions by the actuator. The displacement of the hydraulic actuator is close loop controlled to be a function of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle, which is measured by an accelerometer. For this study, full vehicle simulations were done in ADAMS/View to predict the response of the proposed solutions. A Land Rover Defender 110 was used as the test vehicle to verify the results of the simulations. Constant radius tests and the severe double-lane-change manoeuvre, which are standard handling tests, were used to determine the vehicle’s handling performance. Handling performance was quantified by measuring the body roll angle during the manoeuvre and noting the maximum roll angle. The effect of the active anti-roll bar on ride comfort was measured by driving over Belgian paving at a constant speed. The results show that the proposed system reduces the body roll angle to zero up to a lateral acceleration of 0.4 g during steady state handling and provided a 74% improvement in maximum body roll angle during a double-lane-change-manoeuvre at 70 km/h. The system has no detrimental effect on the ride comfort of the vehicle. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

The National Park Service (NPS) monitors off-road vehicle (ORV) use in National Seashores across the United States. The sediment disturbance that is caused by ORVs is believed to have a large impact on erosion (by wind or waves), which there by affects the morphology of the foredunes. With greater knowledge of ORV impacts, the NPS can better manage ORV use and minimize anthropogenic affects to the coastal environment. There remains considerable uncertainty about the disturbance and its larger-scale impact. This study quantifies the sediment disturbance made by tire tracks, as well as the tire track form, width, depth, and evolution with relation to the number of vehicle passes and location on the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), Maryland. To measure ORV impact, ground-based LiDAR was used to collect detailed profiles across a three by three meter test plot at each site. Based on the quantification of the displaced sediment and redistribution of that sediment from the tracks, a recommendation to the NPS can be made as to where along the beach traffic should be limited to, in order to minimize impact to the physical environment at ASIS. Tire tracks were found to widen after the first pass, as a result of the imperfections of driving. Compaction of the sediment in the center of the tire track accounts for only a minimal amount of the sediment lost from the tire tracks. Sediment removal accounted for greater than 75% of the sediment lost from the tire tracks at all sites. It was concluded that sediment removal is the most dominant factor in the creation and evolution of a tire track. The width, depth, and evolution of a tire track were also found to be controlled by the imperfections of driving. Despite the amount of sediment disturbance, it is found that there is no net downslope displacement of sediment. This conclusion counters previous ORV impact studies and suggests that ORVs are not directly responsible for beach erosion. It is also recommended that to minimize the impact of OVRs on the beach at ASIS, the NPS should limit driving to the backshore.

Local communities, individuals, visitors, and special interest groups are often called upon to participate in the decision making processes of the National Park Service (NPS). Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) engaged in a Negotiated Rulemaking process to create an Off Road Vehicle Management Rule. The rulemaking process involved park stakeholders working with the NPS as a Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee with the goal of creating an Off Road Vehicle Management Rule for CAHA. This dissertation used Senecah's practical theory Trinity of Voice to evaluate CAHA's negotiated rulemaking process. Interviews with park staff and negotiated rulemaking participants provided information about the presence of the grammars of TOV in this decision making process. This dissertation described the affects of negotiated rulemaking on the perceptions of participants towards the park resources and management of the national seashore. The effect of the negotiated rulemaking process was an increase in the knowledge of participants about the decision making process employed by the NPS. In general, participants also developed a stronger relationship with park management. This research suggests critical dimensions for achieving widespread social legitimacy through meaningful public involvement in decision making.

Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2005. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.86-89).

abstract: Human recreation on rangelands may negatively impact wildlife populations. Among those activities, off-road vehicle (ORV) recreation carries the potential for broad ecological consequences. A study was undertaken to assess the impacts of ORV on rodents in Arizona Uplands Sonoran Desert. Between the months of February and September 2010, rodents were trapped at 6 ORV and 6 non-ORV sites in Tonto National Forest, AZ. I hypothesized that rodent abundance and species richness are negatively affected by ORV use. Rodent abundances were estimated using capture-mark-recapture methodology. Species richness was not correlated with ORV use. Although abundance of Peromyscus eremicus and Neotoma albigula declined as ORV use increased, abundance of Dipodomys merriami increased. Abundance of Chaetodipus baileyi was not correlated with ORV use. Other factors measured were percent ground cover, percent shrub cover, and species-specific shrub cover percentages. Total shrub cover, Opuntia spp., and Parkinsonia microphylla each decreased as ORV use increased. Results suggest that ORV use negatively affects rodent habitats in Arizona Uplands Sonoran Desert, leading to declining abundance in some species. Management strategies should mitigate ORV related habitat destruction to protect vulnerable populations. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Applied Biological Sciences 2012

Submitted by Dilene Paulo (dilene.fatima@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-02-07T12:18:55Z No. of bitstreams: 1 DIEGO DAVID SILVA DINIZ – DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEM 2014.pdf: 4871335 bytes, checksum: cfbb94b91722df0a50916a777f1ec43e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-02-07T12:18:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DIEGO DAVID SILVA DINIZ – DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEM 2014.pdf: 4871335 bytes, checksum: cfbb94b91722df0a50916a777f1ec43e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-12-03 / CNPq / Atualmente, o desenvolvimento da indústria automotiva e uma maior exigência do mercado estimularam a intensificação dos estudos na dinâmica veicular, levando os fabricantes a focarem seus esforços em produzir e otimizar tecnologias capazes de obter veículos mais rápidos, seguros e confortáveis. Com a evolução da computação, tornou-se viável a realização de simulação numérica para modelos complexos de veículos que fosse capaz de otimizar e compreender o real comportamento dinâmico do veículo, submetidos às situações adversas. Dentro desse contexto, este trabalho visa apresentar um estudo de modelagem computacional (modelo quarter car, half car e multicorpos) aplicados para avaliação do comportamento dinâmico vertical de um veículo do tipo off-road (Baja) com suspensão dianteira e traseira do tipo duplo A. Para este fim, foram feitos levantamentos experimentais dos parâmetros de suspensão associados a estudos da dinâmica vertical de um veículo off-road, do tipo baja, com auxílio da máquina de ensaio dinâmica (MTS 321.21), além de estudos dinâmicos numa mesa inercial por meio de um analisador de vibrações. Mediante os parâmetros, foram construídos e simulados os modelos matemáticos, quarter car e half car no software MATLAB e o carro completo no ambiente multicorpos. Como resultados, foram avaliadas a influência da pressão interna dos pneus, a variação das rigidezes das molas e o efeito do amortecimento em situações comuns, que o veículo fora de estrada pode ser submetido, permitindo avaliar o seu comportamento dinâmico vertical. Assim, os perfis de pistas idealizadas nestes trabalhos foram: lombada, valas e swept sine. Nos experimentos, destaca-se a variação da rigidez radial dos pneus, quando ocorrem mudanças na sua pressão interna, o efeito da variação dos valores das massas não suspensa do sistema, modificando o comportamento dinâmico do veículo no momento de excitação pelas adversidades do solo, e a variação da força de contato pneu/solo com a mudança da pressão interna dos pneus. Ambos esses efeitos causam mudança no comportamento dinâmico vertical e, em alguns casos, até na dinâmica lateral, influenciando no desempenho do veículo, o que torna imprescindível realizar estes tipos de estudos para um melhor entendimento dos fenômenos existentes, durante situações que um veículo off road são submetidos. / Currently, the development of the automotive industry and greater market demand stimulated the intensification of studies on vehicular dynamics, leading manufacturers to centralize their efforts to produce and optimize technologies capable of faster, safer and comfortable vehicles. Through the evolution of computation, it became viable the realization of numerical simulation of complex models of vehicles that would be able to optimize and understand the real dynamic behavior of the vehicle subjected to adverse situations. Within this context, this paper presents a study of computational modeling (quarter car, half car and multibody models) used for assessment of the vertical dynamic behavior of a vehicle type off-road (Baja) with front and rear suspension Double A. To make it possible, surveys of experimental parameters associated with studies of suspension of a vehicle off-road, the baja type, with the aid of dynamic testing (MTS 321.21) vertical machine dynamics were made in addition to dynamic studies in one inertial table through a vibrations analyzer. Through parameters, mathematical models (quarter car and half car) were built and simulated in MATLAB software. The complete car were built and simulated in multibody environment. With the results, there were evaluated the influence of the internal tire pressure, the variation of springs stiffness and the dampening effect throughout ordinary situations to this kind of vehicle and then allowing evaluates its vertical dynamic behavior. Therefore, the profiles of these works were idealized clues: speed bump, ditches and swept sine. In the experiments stands out a variation of the radial stiffness of the tire, when changes occur in their internal pressure, the effect of varying the values of the unsprung mass of the system, modifying the dynamic behavior of the vehicle at the time of excitation by the adversities of the soil, and the variation of contact force tire / ground with the change of the internal pressure of the tires. These effects cause changes in the vertical dynamic behavior, and in some cases even in the lateral dynamics may influence the performance of the vehicle, which makes it essential to make these types of studies to better understand the phenomena existing in situations that are off-road vehicle submitted.

Die doel van die navorsing wat in hierdie verslag bespreek word, was om ondersoek in te stel na die omrolgedrag van veldvoertuie. Die studie is gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ʼn Land Rover Defender 110 sport nutsvoertuig as eksperimentele voertuig, en ADAMS View as sagteware pakket Die sogenaamde “vishoektoets” is met die basislynvoertuig uitgevoer. Daar is korrelasie verkry tussen die data wat tydens die toetse opgeneem is, en ʼn volledige drie-dimensionele model van die voertuig in ADAMS View. Die basislynsuspensie op die voertuig is vervolgens vervang met ʼn vier toestand semi-aktiewe hidropneumatiese suspensiestelsel of 4S4. Die toetse is herhaal, en korrelasie verkry tussen die toetsdata en die rekenaarmodel. Die rekenaarmodel, met die basislyn suspensiekarakteristieke vervang met die hidropneumatiese suspensiekarakteristieke, is teen hierdie toetsdata geverifieer. Die rekenaarmodel is na korrelasie gebruik om te bepaal watter veer- en demperstellings die effektiefste sal wees om omrol te voorkom. Verder is die model ook gebruik om die effek van rithoogteverlaging op omrolgeneigdheid te bepaal. Die hoeveelheid wat die wiele oplig, is as norm vir omrolgeneigdheid gebruik. Ander parameters, soos giersnelheid, rolsnelheid en rolhoek is ook ondersoek. Uit die studie is dit duidelik dat die 4S4, met die moontlikheid van verstelling aan rithoogte, sinvol aangewend kan word om omrolgeneigdheid te verminder. / Dissertation (MEng (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted